<i>Lendemeriella vaczii</i>, a new lichenized fungal species from Antarctic Peninsula-with a key to the genus <i>Lendemeriella</i>

Abstract

Lichens are most dominant elements of Antarctic terrestrial vegetation, however, they are still not well known. In this paper, Lendemerialla vaczii is described as a new lichen species to science from the James Ross Island and Horseshoe Island, Antarctic Peninsula, based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis. The new species is characterized by brownish cream or buff-colored areolate thallus lacking vegetative propagules, black and lecideine apothecia and very thin (up to 1 µm) septa in ascospores. Phylogenetic analysis of nrITS sequence data shows that new species clusters in the genus Lendemeriella with a high bootstrap support. The new species is compared with other Lendemeriella species and other related crustose Teloschistaceae species without anthraquinones and a comprehensive description is provided. An identification key to 10 species of Lendemeriella is also provided.